Tsukimori felt the bushes tug lightly against her silver fur as she moved through them. The Forest had thinned to a meadow thick in berry bushes and tall waving grass. Wind played through the meadow causing everything from grass to fur to swish. She flattened her ears to keep dust and dirt from getting into them and wiggled out of the last section of bushes. She sped up into a run and bounded over grass and flowers. Many flowers where closed to the moon's light but some bloomed, spreading their scent into the night air. She relished the feeling of freedom as no one and nothing was around to reign her in, and she streaked across the meadow till her muscles where warm in exertion. Then she paused by a little trickled of water and lapped some up before laying down to rest and watch the meadow.

After a time she fell asleep. When she woke dawn was inching its way across the meadow. The lightened meadow was a stark contrast against the meadow covered in retreating night. Birds chirped about the morning and small animals came out of hiding to find breakfast and drink. She took it in, enjoying the meadow for nature's sake.

Eventually she stood and stretched from nose to tail and shook the stiffness from her muscles. The water was good and pure and she lapped it contentedly. Going off instincts passed down by generations she began to run in hopes of finding others like her, or not like her.

BIC| Things had been rather turbulent lately, what with so many new faces to welcome and so many hearts to heal. She was absolutely thrilled, more than happy to help each new comer settle into their new home. Her favorite part of it was always granting them their new home; it always revealed a new part of her realm, an area that had previously lain quiet.

There was always a place that synced to what that particular soul needed, a harmonizing that occurred with every new heartsong. And it was a heartsong, a unique tune and rhythm to every individual being. Finding the home, the song, seeing the realm she had created take what was the song within the souls of these creatures and translate it into a physical terrain; it couldn't be beat.

After all the excitement she found herself feeling rather quiet in relation, and in quite a bit of need for a chance to simply relax. Following the advice of her mate - okay, more like following orders - she had wandered back here for a relaxing walk. It was good to keep busy, but he knew when she needed a few minutes to herself; he was always watching, always taking care of her.

Besides that, the cubs had been rambunctious with the high levels of energy, and she was getting close to hogtying the both of them. Especially that dragon spark girl of hers. Warriors!

When all was said and done, the Strangeling found herself meandering through the lowland foothill forests in her doe form. The sun felt good on her back and her necklace kept time with her stride, a gentle weight around her neck. She felt good - and her mate was in season. She was looking forward to getting back once he finished securing a ward that had begun to weaken. It was clear she was on his mind; the pendant was glowing.

Smiling, the Strangeling doe lifted her head into a slight breeze and let out a sigh, enjoying the quiet.

Tsukimori soon left the meadow and entered the lively forest. The forest was old but even so random rays of light found their way through the foliage to the ground below. Tsukimori slowed to a walk, appreciating the forest. Her paws pressed against layers of pine needles leaving nothing more then a slightly disturbed trail. The wind had been blowing away from her so it was her ears that first alerted her to the movement of something larger than a squirrel. She paused, looking around carefully as she listened to the quiet steps.

Following the sound through the forest she soon came across a white doe. She watched it for a moment and took in the glowing pendant and the intelligence of its eyes. It seemed unlike an ordinary doe. Instead of hunting it for breakfast she attempted to speak to it in the tongue common to woodland creatures. "Hello, Forest Runner. I, Tsukimori, am in search of my kind here. Do you know of any packs that claim this territory?" She politely stopped far enough away to show she meant the prey animal no harm and swished her tail gently back and forth.

A talking wolf. Well, that was pretty much common here. She spoke the language of critters, however, and typically you simply didn't find any talking wolves that spoke to dear.

It had been a while since she had had need of this language - it was an odd mixture of her native language and that which the bondeds here used. It felt good to rely on energies and sensations to carry half the meaning once again. Typically she could only use such methods with her bonded and clan.

Ah, and she had a unique scent as well, carried over by a slight breeze. Interesting.

"Like yourself? I must confess I've yet to meet another wolf that would stop and talk with someone that looks like me. You look like you've done a bit of traveling, in this search. When did you last eat?"

Stretching comfortably, the creamy pale doe tilted her head to get a closer look at the creature before her, almond shaped blue-grey eyes flashing in the sun-filtered trees. By the looks of things a good meal and a comfortable spot to talk with friends would be in order soon. From what she could see the dust was still rather light on Tsukimori's fur, but there was a bit of a ruffled look to it all the same.

"Most here know me as Songhue," she said, absently shifting down into a star-wolf form and licking her chops at the prospect of a hunt. She simply couldn't find such a well-mannered creature without feeding her! Or so her inner-wolf demanded. Something about this one seemed to call to her canine sensibilities. "I haven't seen that many friendly wolves, not while in doe form, so I'm afraid helping you there is a bit beyond my abilities. I have, however, spotted a rather delicious looking group of creatures that seemed to have been a cross between a fox and a rabbit. In any case I've not found a rabbit with a tail that long, or a fox with such legs as to have to hop in any other realm."

Tsukimori smiled ruefully. "I confess there is not much game in passes between these foothills and the southern range. I've have little more than rabbits." As she listened to Songhue her eyes opened wide at the site of another shifter. As the doe turned into a wolf of similar color to hers she swished her tail back and forth and lifted her head happily.

"I have not met another shifter in a very long time." She said grinning ear to ear in way non-wolves might find more frightening than pleasing. "I would be happy to hunt with you Songhue. Where was the prey last seen?" Just the thought of something different made her subconsciously take a deeper breath, to better inhale the scents of the forest.